Tues.’s Devo - Micah and Nicodemus

Read: Judges 17:1-18:31; John 3:1-21; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 14:20-21 In the times of the judges, men did what was right in their own eyes, not what was right in God’s eyes. Both our Old and New Testament scriptures begin with “there was a man named…” In Judges the man’s name was Micah. He confessed to his mother that she had stolen 1,100 pieces of silver from her and gave it back when he heard the curse she had put upon the one who stole it. It doesn’t tell us what the curse was but I think it came to pass. Micah’s mother was elated he gave her back her money and used 200 pieces of silver and had an idol cast from it. Micah made a sacred ephod and added some household idols and installed one of his own sons as priest. A young Levite came through their town looking for a place to serve and Micah offered him 10 pieces of silver and a change of clothes and food to stay and become his priest. The Levite agreed. This all happened in the land of Ephraim. The clan of Dan had never taken their land and were looking for a place to settle. They sent out five spies who came to Micah’s house. They saw who peaceful and secure they were and how Micah had his own priest. There were several towns like the one Micah lived in. The spies took back the report of the land and decided to attack and take from their brothers what they had instead of fighting the “ites” of the land and taking their land. They sent 600 armed men and began taking their towns. When they arrived a Micah’s house, they offered the priest to come and be the priest over their whole tribe. He agreed and they took all of Micah’s worship paraphernalia. When Micah opposed, they threatened him and his family. He had no power over them so they took all he had. They burnt down the town and renamed it Dan after their ancestor. They set up the carved image and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses presided over them as priest until the Exile. They worshipped this idol instead of God. In John, there was a man named Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee who came to Jesus after dark and called him “Rabbi”. He SAID he knew God had sent him to teach them about God. Jesus told him that to see the Kingdom of God he had to be born again. Nicodemus had no idea how that could happen. Jesus explained that he was talking about a spiritual rebirth, not a natural one. He rebuked Nicodemus for not being able to see these things. He explained that just like the bronze serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, he would be lifted up. (He was speaking of the cross.) He continued that anyone who believed in him would be saved. God sent him into the world to save it not condemn it. This was the opposite of the priest’ message which was one of judgement and condemnation. Jesus pointed out that there were some who loved darkness more than light because they don’t want their sins exposed. This could not have fit the Pharisees better. We don’t know what happened to Nicodemus but the next time we hear of him was at the Feast of Tabernacles when Jesus stood up and said, “Come to me all who are thirsty…he that believers on me,…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” John 7:37-38. In verse 50 of the same chapter, Nicodemus was mentioned as “being one of them”. I’m not sure who “them” was but after Jesus died, he showed up with 100 pounds of spices to help Joseph prepare his body for burial. (John 19:39). Everything Nicodemus did was in the night. Jesus had told him that Those who do what is right come to the light so others can see what they are doing what God wants. Nicodemus didn’t want his colleges to know what he was doing though it was right. This was probably because he feared man and feared the loss of his position and reputation. Lord, may we find our identity in You and not in ourselves. May we chose what is right in your eyes instead of what is right in ours.